Carriage-return mechanism for type-writers.



JOHN eqna'rrntena, or onions-o, ILLINOIS.

cnimmeaenrosn Mechanism: roe, TYPE-WRITERS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. NATTINGER, acitizen of theUnited States, and a resident of the city of Chicago,'inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Carriage-Return Mechanism for Type- Writers; andI do hereby declare thatvth'e following is a full, clear, and exactdescription' of the same, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which formapart of this specification.

Many attempts have been made to construct ashifting mechanism for theplaten and carriage of a type-writer whereby the same might beactuatedby the foot of the operator, but most cases such attachments have notproved adaptable to various makes of machines and. they have embodiedsuch complicated constructionsas not to permit the same to come intogeneral use. In the prior constructions of this nature, due attentionhas not been given to the actuating mechanism for the shifting means andfor this reason the devices have not proved a success. v

It is an object of this invention to provide an attachment fortypewriters whereby the platen may be rotated and the carriage shiftedby means actuated by the foot or the operator, and not necessitating anyadjustment requiring the use of the hands of the operator;

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which maybe attached to provide means whereby the carriage may be shifted anydesired distance within the prescribed limit allowed by the machine.

It isalsoan object of this invention to provide a'signal locking meansfor the actuating mechanism, thus insuring the complete return of saidmechanism to initial po 'sition after each shifting operation thereof.It is also an object of this invention to provide yielding means betweenthe-shifting mechanism for the typewriter and the so 1 tuating meanstherefor,

Specification of Letters Patent.

rewrites. sta is, rare,

The invention is adaptable for many other similar purposes and (in itspreferredform) consists in the matters hereinafter more fully describedand defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying myinvention, shown connectedto a typewriter. Fig; 2 is a top planview ofthe typewriter, showing the bracket and cable connected thereto. Fig. 3is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention connected to atypewriter, showing the relative position of the parts. Fig. 4c is anenlarged detail of the foot actuated means. Fig. 5 is a top plan viewthereof. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of the bracket shown clampedo'nth'e typewriter frame. Fig. 7 is .a fragmentary top plan View" of thetypewriter mechanism, illustrating the usual relation of the parts ofthe shifting mechanism. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of one of thesheaves, showing a cable guard attached thereto.

As shown in the drawings, the typewriter as a whole, is indicated by thereference numeral 1, and clamped upon one side of the base framethereof, is'thehrachet 2, the lower end of which is flanged over, asshown at 3, to coast with the other clamping member 42, to engage theframe member 5, of the typewriter. A bolt 6, affords an justableconnection. between the clamping jaws 3 and 4. Said bracket 2, istwistedthrough an angle of substantially 90 degrees, as shown at 7, and isinclined rearwardly and outwardly to extend to a point sub an tiallyattlie limit'of, and in alineinent with the travel of the platencarriage of the writer.

' 8, indicates the usual rotatable platen of a typewriter, which isprovided one end thereof with a ratchet wheel 9, adapted to be engagedby the pawl pivoted an ere tension of the member 11, said pawi actuatingto rotate the platen. through the desired amount required the linespacing,

. I i 11 Journaled at one end of the carriage frame 12, is the actuatingshaft 13, which is rigidly connected to tire member 11, and alsoto theelement '14-, pa'nrided with the extending arm Said shaft 13, isprovided with a lever 16, adapted for manna enga ement'by the operator,A spiral spring" 1.7,-

is wound about said member lift, and is adapted to hold thesame-,together with the arm.15, and lever l6', in retracted positionwith the pawl 10, and ratchet 9, out of engagement. x Y

Mounted upon the floor, or in any position convenient for operation bythe foot of the.

' of said bell .crank,'is the 'foot'rest or pedal;

21, as'shown'provided' with an offset 22, to receive theiheel of theshoe of the operaton. Projectingupwardly from the frame 18, is v theinclined lug-23, adapted to formaistop for the arm 20, ofthe bell crankwhen in initial position and also toengage behind the heel portion 22,of the foot pedal to re-, tain the bell crank in said-initial position.Said frame member l8,' is provided with, holes 24,. to receive means'forattaching the 2 same to a suitable support. Means are provided on theframe member 18, forlimiting the throw of the bell crank, comprising aslotted plate 25, adjustably engaged on the -framemember 18, by meansoffthe screws .26. 1 Said sldtted plate is provided with a flange 27,ada ted to be contacted by thearm 20,, to'a 0rd a stop for said crank.Engaged in an aperture in the bell crank arm 19, is the spiral tensionspring 28. v

' Secured to the end of the spring'28, isa cable 29, which is ledupwardly an ,trained around the respective sheaves 30- and 31,1 mountedon the bracket 2. Said sheaves are inclined at such an angle as to Vpermit the cable to be freely led from the lower end of-the bracket"2,upwardly and around the extended end of the same and' thence parallelthe typewriter carriage to 40 the actuating arm '15, to which the cableis secured. 'By such disposition ofthe cable, the same is accessibleforconvenient adjust- 'ment-by the operator and at the same time' v isremoved from possible interference during the normaloperation of thetypewriter. As shown in Fig. 8, mounted on the stud shaft for each ofthe sheaves 30 and 31 respectively, is 'a guard member 32, adapted toretainthe cable 29, on the sheaves when the samebecomes slack.

1 The operation is as follows: The a'pplicants device is suitable forattachment to any make of typewriter, it only being IIBCQS'? sary toconnect theca-ble 29, directly to-the actuating lever for the platen andcarriage or to a conveniently disposedlever for the purpose, as shown'inthis case as 15. The slotted plate 25, is then'adjusted to aposition, whereby the throw of the bell 'crank will belimited to anextent depending uponthe amplitude of movement of the carriage, I asdesired. Assuming the platen and gear riage'to be inthe central.position, 'as'shown in Fig.1,a certain amount ofslack in the 0.6 cable.29, will exist between the sheave 30,

thenshifts his foot slightly fol-war the same reachedv its extremeposltion, the

resultant increase in the energy .of impact. .would' soon provedisastrous to the machine.

prior art;

and the spri'ng'29, which, as the'platen. carriage move'to the left,will lietaken. up

until such movement is arrested, "such a pos1-. tion being indicated bythe right hand.

margin of the paper, whlch is bein used in g the typewriter. .When insuch a eft hand extreme position, the bell crank is in the 'positionshown in Fig. 4, and thei o rator releasing the offset 22, from the lug23,"

and at thesame time thrusts .the. crank 2.(),- forwardl to the limitimposed by the pro jecti'n'g ange' 27, and then with his foot still onthe pedal, allowsv the lever 20,"to;'

swing backto initial position, the lug 2a,:

and .ofl'set 22, actingautomatically to lock. the same therein. 'It-willthus be seen thatp.

sensible" signal is. afforded the operatml whereby he becomes aware thatthe mecha nism has moved through the entire m 5.

tudev of movement necessaryand thus precludesanyaccidental and annoyingstoppage of the typewriter carria e, interme complete movement theoperating me'cha' nism. Another novel feature of great utility-in theapplicants-invention; is the in-,.

d mechanism thereforgtthat if the momentum of the. foot operated meanswere; ti an'sniitted' tlius vcliate the extreme positi'omif su cientslack is. not present in the cable, dueto, the in n the and mahip adirectly to the carriage ofthe typewriter, as

This .is obviated by the-inclusion; of the spring '28, 'which affords ayieldable 06 1 nection" between the actuating mechanism and the carriageof -lthe'typewritera or course, it is to 'be understood thatde tails ofthe constructionfmay modified, and I do not purpose limiting-the patentgranted, otherwise than necessitated bythe I claim as my invention} 7 1.'In a device of the class-described a} bracket adapted to be releasablysecured to.

the frame of a typewriterand projecting up 11;

wardly and outwardly therefrom'atan angle therewith, sheaves journaledon said bracket,

a cable connected at one of it's-endsto the actuating lever of .atypewriter carriage and trained about said sheaves on saidbracket, 139

a pivotally'mounted bell crank having the other end oflsaid cableyieldably connected 1 thereto, and a foot pedal pivotedon said. bellcrank.

' 2. In a device (of the class'described a 135. cable connected to theactuating. lever bin .5

typewriter carrlage, a bell 'cra stops "per mittin an ad ustableamplitude of movement t erefor, and a spring connecting-said I ab e d-see secured to the frame of the typewriter near.

the front thereof and projecting at an angle outwardly and rearwardly toa point substantially in line with said carriage, sheaves journaled onsaid' bracket, a cable trained about said sheaves-and secured at one ofits ends to the actuating lever of said typewriter carriage,-a framemember'adapted to 'rest on the floor beneath the typewriter, a

bell crank pivotally mountedthereon, with oneend of said cable yieldablyconnected to onearl'n of said bell crank, and foot actuat ing meansconnected tothe other arm of said bell crank.

4. In a device of theclass described the combination of a typewriter andits carriage movable thereon, of a bracket rigidly and releasablysecured to .the frame of the typewriter and. projecting upwardly andrearwardly thereof to a point substantially in line with said carriage,sheaves journaled on said bracket, a cable trained about said sheavesand connected at one of its ends to the actuating lever of saidtypewriter carriage, a bell crank pivotally mounted be nea'th saidtypewriter, a foot pedal having an ofliset heel piece. formed thereonpivotally 'mounted upon'said bell crank, and with the other end of saidcable connected also to said bell crank, an inclined lug mounted in'pedal] pivotally mounted the path of movement of said foot pedal wherebysaid heel piece is elevated and engages thereover during a returnmovement of the bell crank to initial positi n, thereby affording asensiblesignal to the operator by such elevation, of the complete returnof the bell crank to initial position, and nechanism adjustable to'limitthe amplitude of.movement of said bell crank.

5, In a device of the class dee cribed the combination with atypewriter, or?) foot actuated means for returning the carriage thereonto initial .postion, said means @omprising in part a bell crankpivotally mmmted and operatively connected to said carr?-=1ge,' a footupon said bell crank to actuate the same, an roiis et heel piece formedon said foot pedal. and fixed means in the path of movement oi: saidpedal adapted to coact with said oifset heel piece" to elevate thepedal, affording a sensible sig nal for the operator of the compietereturn movement of the bell crank said heel piece then acting-togetherwith said fixed

